News

On September 30, 2021, a University of Alabama at Birmingham medical team transplanted two pig kidneys into a brain-dead human recipient, a major step toward future pig-kidney transplants to people with kidney failure.

Surgeons with the University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine reached an institutional milestone in February, surpassing 16,000 total organ transplants performed since its first almost 54 years ago.

As the UAB Heersink School of Medicine observes Women’s History Month, it offers all, no matter what gender identity, an opportunity to recognize the many women who have made important contributions to medicine and science. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, Dorothy Hodgkin, Katherine Johnson, Virginia Apgar, Marie Maynard Daly, and many more achieved significant firsts that paved the way for women today to follow in their footsteps.

The word xenotransplantation — or the concept of it — is new to most people and many have lingering questions for its future. Xenotransplantation is the transplantation of organs or tissues from an animal source into a human recipient. Researchers and surgeons have been working towards viable xenotransplant options for decades, in the hopes of being able to save more live and improve the quality of life of their patients.  

If you are watching your diet, you probably know that how much you eat is as important as what you eat. The challenge is figuring out how much is “much”, because you may be eating more than you think you are. The good news is that understanding and managing food portions can help you solve this problem.

According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the leading cause of death globally. On average, someone dies of heart disease every 36 seconds in the United States. Although many factors contribute to one’s heart health, wholesome nutrition is a major factor in combating plaque buildup in coronary arteries, which results in the most common type of heart disease, coronary artery disease.

Depending on what color scrubs you wear, you may already know that March 19 is Certified Nurses Day. This annual observance celebrates nurses worldwide who contribute to better patient outcomes through earning and maintaining advanced credentials in their specialty.

The Nursing Communication HCAHPS performance domain is a key measure of delivering excellent care and achieving high levels of patient satisfaction. Congratulations to:  Acute Care for Elders Unit (4 Main), Gastrointestinal Surgical Unit (GISU), and Thoracic Surgery (W5N) on earning Level 5 in Nursing Communication during the past quarter! Your hard work and dedication directly contributed to the highest levels of satisfaction among UAB Medicine patients and visitors.

On May 17, 2021, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed medical marijuana legislation into law, making the Heart of Dixie the 37th state to adopt a medical cannabis program. But while the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) is up and running, it’s estimated that medical marijuana won’t be available to Alabama patients until 2023.

If you feel lost when it comes to making healthy eating decisions, you are not alone. We may know which foods are healthier, but many of us still struggle to put it all together into a lifestyle that we can maintain.

Observed in the third full week of March each year, National Poison Prevention Week helps promote safety by highlighting the dangers of poisoning. Click below for some tips to help keep you and your loved ones safe.

Doctors conduct exams and tests during annual checkups to get an overall picture of a patient’s health. One important part of this checkup concerns heart health, and for some patients, checking heart health may be the most important part of the exam.